Redemption For The Broken-Hearted
by MarauderishMischiefMaker
Summary: The Davis girls make a vow to start fresh with their lives, but things don't go according to plan. Alexis must face the past in the form of Stefan while helping Sam navigate single-motherhood. Meanwhile, Krissy's (still Lexi in this story) quest for redemption leads to more than she bargained for, and why is Molly so content to fly under the Davis family radar? Possible Ethina?
1. Chapter 1

**First of all, let me assure you that the wait had nothing to do with lack of story response (in fact I'm absolutely flattered) and everything to do with that intrusive thing called real life. May I present for your reading/reviewing pleasure the first chapter of our tale detailing the arrival of everyone's favorite Aussie. Enjoy.**

A gray Sedan with tinted windows and unmarked plates did not give rise to an unusual amount of suspicion in the hearts of those who lived in Port Charles, New York. They were, after all used to contending with the dealings of the Corinthos and Zacchara mob families, and some (Diane Miller, for instance) made good money doing just that.

No, the only party who was suspicious as car pulled up to the pier was the man sitting inside: one Ethan Lovett.

Until two days ago, Ethan had been in Scotland with his mother Holly Sutton, waiting for the man who thought he was Ethan's biological father to come to his "rescue", but now he had been summoned back to Port Charles for what was an apparently urgent, but unknown cause.

"We're coming with you," said the driver—one of the former WSB agents Robert had sent to shield Ethan and Holly from Helena Cassadine—leaving no room for negotiation. Another of the men accompanying them broke off to do a sweep of the area, and although he was rather frustrated with the presence of these guards (he had not perfected conning without knowing how to lay low) Ethan made no objection. After all, it would be nothing more than poetic justice for one of Helena henchmen to drown Ethan in the very harbor where The Haunted Star was docked

"All clear, Mr. Lovett."

"It's Ethan, mate, just Ethan, my hairline's not receding yet."

To his surprise, the stone-faced guard exhibited something akin to a chuckle. "Duly noted." He fell into step in front of Ethan, his partner taking up the rear. Both had death grips on their weapons in case a shootout proved necessary.

It wasn't.

Absent were the highly trained snipers, and instead Ethan was confronted with a mass of blonde waves that were undoubtedly attached to the bowed head of his little sister. "It's all right, I can handle it from here."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely. In fact, why don't you guys just go back to Scotland?"

"We can't do that. Agent Scorpio instructed us to—" Ethan held up his hand.

"Look, I appreciate everything Robert has done for me. I do. Especially the things he continued to do, even after he found out Luke and Holly had fed him a lie of mercy, but I'll be fine. I have family in the PCPD, and few other um…connections up my sleeve should I need them. Meanwhile, Holly—the woman you've just left—has told a very lethal woman a frighteningly transparent lie. Who do you think needs more help here?"

"Still—"

"I assure you fine gentlemen any and all of Robert's wrath will fall squarely on my own head, so unless either of you has any experience with distraught women…"

From the looks on their faces the answer appeared to be no. "Don't worry, we'll take care of your mother."

The Australian nodded, grasping hands with each of the men. "They're gone," he whispered when the door had shut

Lulu Spencer-Falconeri slowly raised her head. Ethan saw, with no small amount of alarm, that his strong sister's eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, her hair limp and matted to her moist cheeks.

"Lulu, what's the matter?"

"Y—you didn't mention to them that one of your 'protectors' is halfway around the world in Ireland," she sniffled, mopping her eyes with one fist. "Ethan, y—you shouldn't be here."

"And why not? Clearly, Luke realized you needed your big brother. Besides Robert phoned Scotland with the news that Helena showed up in Port Charles looking for Nikolas, who had declared her persona non grata on Cassadine Island. She's off at the Russian estate licking her wounds." Ethan went behind the bar for a box of tissues, and slid it across the polished wood. "So for now at least, I'm safe. Blow your nose, love."

In that moment of vulnerability Lulu was as obedient as a small scared child grateful for the soothing presence of her brother

"There we go. You wouldn't happen to know what Luke wanted?" Ethan gazed around the deserted nightclub. "Or where he is for that matter?"

"Dad's hasn't been Port Charles for weeks."

"So _you _called?"

. "And you were awfully hard to track down. I guess the Spencer sneak gene is inborn."

"Always worked for me. Dupe and dash, the first rule of the con."

Despite her tears, Lulu snorted. "According to Dante, our dad's done a 'dash' of his own, to Turkey of all places."

"Turkey," Ethan repeated, with a small smirk. "That's a new one. Usually he goes for someplace more…exotic"

"Dante seems to think he's off doing vigilante work on a case."

"Ah!" Ethan cupped his newly grown beard in his hand. "That sounds more like it. Come to think of it why aren't in Turkey as well. I mean you and Dante were pretty attached when I left."

"Trip didn't work out that way."

"And I'd believe that if I hadn't walked in on you having a cry a while ago, and I wasn't sitting right now watching you do that forehead thing."

Lulu touched her brow self-consciously. "What forehead thing?"

"More like between the eyebrows, really. When you're upset or stressed you get a little crease because your eyebrows scrunch"

"You're creeping me out, you know that?"

"I wouldn't be if my ability to read people weren't proving inconvenient. Scotch?"

"Why the hell not?"

Ethan jumped of the bar stool and retrieved two shot glasses into which he poured some of the amber liquid. "Who are we toasting for these tears? Luke? Dante? Johnny?"

"My inadequate uterus, and perpetually bad judgment. "

Ethan was quite glad he had not yet taken a sip, because he would have choked. "I didn't know you were trying."

"Dante and I have wanted a baby for a really long time now, but I went to Dr. Lee this fall, and she told me I can't carry to term."

"Oh, Lulu." He pulled the younger woman to him placing his chin on her head. "It will be all right. I mean there are tons of options here."

"I know, I know. Maxie was more than happy to carry for us, but I screwed that one up good and proper. Somehow she fell and miscarried. I gave the third degree about not staying off her feet and we had this _huge_ argument where she accused me of overbearing and…jealous."

Ethan paused, tapping a rhythm on the rim of his glass.

"Just come out and say it, will you?" Lulu demanded.

"All right…are you?"

"Can you blame me? Carrying a child is supposed to create this really personal, amazing bond, and I'm not going to get to have that!"

"Have you tried…you know, grief counseling."

"We were finishing our first appointment when Dante got a call from Dad asking us to help him out of whatever jam he's in. Dr. Winters advised that Dad was likely to be roughed up, and I would regress into some kind of deep depression when I couldn't give him good news to look forward to."

Ethan raised his glass to his lips and drained it, so as to block Lulu from viewing the different emotions and thoughts mingling so plainly on his face. He agreed with the psychiatrist, but he had the good sense not to say anything. Lucky had once warned him about their sister's deep, and to an extent well founded mistrust of the mental health system. He also knew that without her husband there to coax her, Lulu was likely to let the appointments lapse, and therefore negate any progress she might have made.

"Far be it for me to be the one to bring a little sanity to the Spencer situation," he started, and Lulu gave a watery smile, "but maybe I should stay a while."

"I wouldn't mind the company, even when Dante is back stateside, he's going to have his hands full."

"With the commissioner? Mac knows how Luke can be, I can't imagine—"

"Actually, we have a new commissioner. Her name is Anna, and she happens to be Robert's ex, but no, I was talking about Kristina. The poor girl can't seem to catch a break


	2. Chapter 2

**Blame Finals Week for the horrendous wait, I had to study. Anyway this chapter full of Davis girl goodness is dedicated to soapdemon34, who was wondering where our lovely ladies were during the set up chapter.**

Kristina Corinthos-Davis pulled into the parking lot of St. Timothy's, and pulled the front visor down, so as to mop her eyes, before heading into the church. Though her vision was blurry, she could make out a familiar number on the screen of her blinking cell phone. "Michael, where are you? I'm at the church…" she faltered, and trailed off, absentmindedly ending the call.

Father Coates turned away from the taper candle he was lighting. "Is everything all right, Kristina?"

She sighed and sank into one of the pews. Molly had taken it upon herself to handle the decorations—wheedling some of the poinsettias Trey had loved to deliver to bedridden parishioners out of the local florist, and placing candles on so many surfaces that Kristina almost feared a fire. The star of scene, however was a stand baring an image of Trey, who was grinning at her from inside the frame.

"Everything about this seems so…final. I don't think I can do it, I can't just put my boyfriend…my _husband_ in the ground, and leave him there."

Father Coates nodded, and came over to take Kristina's hand in both of his. "I understand how difficult this must be for you, but Trey was a child of a child of God, and a valued member of this community. Memorials aren't just celebrations of the deceased life, they are a forum where the grieving loved ones can find comfort in one another."

"Trey doesn't have any loved ones…living ones, anyway."

"He's got me," corrected Olivia, walking through the vestibule, her engagement ring in sharp glittering contrast with the simple black dress she wore. "And so do you, honey," Olivia moved in for a quick hug. "I may not have been there for Trey in life, but I can honor him in death, and he loved you, so anything you need, Kristina, anything at all."

Father Coates stood. "Olivia, so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Father."

"I though you weren't coming."

Olivia raised her eyebrows at Kristina's bitter tone, but said nothing about it, in respect of the girl's clear grief. "Well, you're right, when you were planning on having it in the hospital chapel, I wasn't going to come. Something didn't feel right about honoring Trey in a place where he had been pain, but I had another vision. His spirit was sitting right there in that back pew...well this one was pretty easy to figure out. I was supposed to come here, so I did, and here you are."

Kristina tried very hard not to let the fact that Olivia could apparently see Trey from beyond the grave while she did not have that luxury make her cry, and instead looked for something that would divert her attention. "Sam!"

"Hey, babe." Samantha McCall shifted her son to the other hip, so that she too could embrace her sister. "I'd ask how you are, but it seems like a stupid question."

"Yeah, it definitely would be," agreed Kristina, placing a kiss on her nephew's cheek. "Wouldn't this little peanut be happier staying with Alice at the Quartermaines?"

"It'll be fine, he's already had his nap. Besides we both wanted to support you didn't we, Danny? Can you blow kisses to Aunt Krissy? Blow her kisses."

"Kristina, there's a line forming outside."

"All right, Father. Sorry, Sam, I've got to go do this."

"Yeah, of course. We'll go find a seat. Come on, Big Guy."

0o0o0o

Ten minutes later Kristina reappeared and took a seat in the front pew with Starr, Michael, and Olivia. The turnout was bigger than she expected, but she knew few of them had really known or liked Trey. Steve sat respectfully in the back with Patrick, Monica, Epiphany, Elizabeth, and two nurses Kristina didn't know, but she was pretty sure one of them was Emma Drake's new babysitter. The hospital always sent over a contingent when a patient died, but Steve was the only one who didn't seem out of place. He was there as moral support for his fiancée, just like Olivia would be if Heather Webber did the world a favor and croaked. Spinelli seemed to be another genuine mourner, and Kristina knew his girlfriend would be there if Trey's bitch of mother hadn't paralyzed her. Other than that there was just Kristina's own mother, sisters, and nephew in the pew behind her. Father Coates cleared his throat to start.

"Welcome. We are gathered here today not only to mourn with heavy hearts the passing of a brilliant young man, but also to acknowledge the gift he gave each of us by touching our lives. This man's given name was Joseph Scully III, but he was better known to everyone sitting here today as Trey Mitchell. Trey wore many hats in this life: he was an adored friend, a cherished cousin, a treasured partner, and longest and perhaps most importantly, a valued and beloved son." Kristina would have scoffed more audibly, but for Michael's hand clasped around her wrist. Clearly the priest heard, however, because he said, "We may be feel confusion, sorrow, and just a little bit of…very understandable anger, as we contemplate why a truly loving Father would end so abruptly a life that had barely been lived. We may wonder why a gracious God would allow dusk to come upon the world, just as a new year and—" He nodded to Kristina—"A new journey were dawning. But Trey is at peace, and now those he left behind must set about the business of remembering, letting go, and moving on. At this time, Trey's girlfriend, Kristina Corinthos-Davis would like to say a few words."

Kristina could feel all eyes on her, as she made her way up to the pulpit. "Um, hi," she started clearing her throat. "I'd like to thank everybody for coming today. I'm sure Trey would appreciate it if he were here, then again, if Trey were here we wouldn't be. I—" She cleared the restrictive lump from her throat. "—Sorry…I'm sorry…"

"It's all right, honey," Alexis whispered, "Take your time."

"As most of you know, I met Trey during a really difficult time in my life. Everybody who had once been my friend was starting to say terrible things behind my back, but Trey really understood. I didn't realize until later that that understanding came from common ground and before any of you attack Trey for pitching the idea ofthe reality show, you should know that I was on board with anything that would get back at my parents."

Her eyes narrowed as the church creaked open. "Especially my dear old dad!" she spat, and there was a great rustling, as everyone turned around. Sonny was indeed in the doorway. Alexis sprung up, as if a tack had been placed on her seat, and ran up the aisle/.

"So, you're gatecrashing now?" Kristina scoffed. "I think this is a new low, even for you, Dad!"

"Don't do it, Sonny, don't rise."

"You think I don't know when I'm being baited, Alexis."

"I think that the knowledge doesn't curb your hotheaded tendencies, that's what I think. You need to remember that she's…

"Very curious to know why my father would show up where he is so obviously not wanted!"

"Make her stop," Molly hissed pleadingly to her cousin."

Michael doubted he could divert his sister from her current path, but he nevertheless approached her. "You've made your point, Kris, it's time to sit down." He took her arm, and guided her back to her seat.

Father Coates let out a poorly concealed breath of relief. "If no one else has anything to say, Starr Manning and Molly Lansing-Davis would like to sing a little something in Trey's memory."

"Before they do that, Father, I'd actually like to answer Kristina's question. I'm here to pay respects to Trey—"

"To do that you'd have to had respect for him in the place," she sniped back, pulling Starr back into a sitting position, and standing up herself.

"If you'd let me finish!"

"Sonny," Olivia warned, "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. Why don't you just go?"

"It's fine…I'm fine, Liv." He took a deep breath, and continued in a much calmer tone. "If you'd let me finish, honey, you'd hear me say that I came here to pay respects to Trey…for Kate, on her behalf, you know?"

"No, I don't know, because 'Kate' hasn't existed for months. There is no 'Kate' anymore, Dad, it's just Connie, and Connie isn't here, because she's actually where she deserves to be after causing the accident that paralyzed Ellie Trout, and killed her own son. And then, she wouldn't sign the forms to take him off life-support, so _I'm_ the one who had to pull the plug! But none of that matters to you, does it? I bet the next thing that's going to come out of your mouth is that you…I don't know paid her bail, or…or something. Just go, Dad, please."

"Okay, I'll go. I…I love you, sweetheart."

Sonny's departure set off an uneasy silence, which swept through the church like an icy wind only to be broken when everyone revolved to face Alexis who had stood. "I think a change of scenery is a good idea for everyone. I know the medical staff probably has to get back, but anyone who can spare time is welcome to join us at Kelly's for a lunch in Trey's honor."

0o0o0o

"You arranged a lovely service, honey. I just don't think your sister was ready to say goodbye."

Molly smiled slightly as her mother turned the car onto Wharf Street, before furrowing her brow as a troubling thought came to her. "Do you think Kristina was right about Uncle Sonny putting up Connie's bail, Mom?"

"Moll, Connie is in jail for murdering Trey, kidnapping Johnny Zacchara, and assaulting Starr Manning, no judge on this planet, or any other would even entertain the notion of granting her bail."

"Then, why would Krissy think that?"

"Because your sister is angry, and grieving, and she looks for any reason under the sun to lay into her father. I really don't want to talk about this anymore, love. Go and warn Shawn he's about to ambushed while I park."

Molly hopped out of the car, and went into Kelly's. The tinkling overhead bell alerted TJ, who was wiping down the front counter. "Hey, I didn't expect to see you so soon. Take off your sweater, and stay a while."

"No thanks, it's been cold. In both temperature and temperament, that is."

TJ raised his eyebrows.

"Don't ask. Let's just say the memorial is now a lunch. Where is Shawn, anyway?"

"He's in the kitchen making food for some jet-lagged guy."

"You mean like a stranded traveller? That's so romantic! Who?"

"I've never seen him before. Hey, Shawn!" TJ called over his shoulder. "Get out here, we've got customers!"

"What do you call the man I'm serving, TJ," Shawn inquired wiping his hands on a dishtowel.

Molly rolled her eyes at the familiar display of banter, eyes that brightened and widened at the sound of a distinctly accented laugh from behind Shawn.

"Ethan, you're back!" she grinned hugging the man around the middle.

"Molly, you're…tall."

"I grew an inch since you saw me last."

"I'd believe it," Ethan laughed. "Now, I don't know what you're reading these days, but I bet it's thick as a tree trunk, and probably in another language."

"Actually, I'm so accustomed to the syntax and grammar of English, that it's kind of difficult to grasp any other language. Right now, I'm re-reading_ Little Women_."

"Decent choice."

"It's a classic coming-of-age tale. Oh, Ethan, Krissy will be so happy to see you."

"Is she back?"

"Yes, she is. She's on her way in fact, separate car."

Ethan turned to face the speaking woman. "Alexis," he greeted, kissing the woman's knuckles.

"Very suave" she smiled graciously. "Embracing our Spencer side, are we?"

"Well, currently I'm fighting jetlag with the most amazing grilled cheese on the East Coast." Ethan toasted Shawn with his glass of water. "Actually I'm glad I ran into you. I need to talk to you, Alexis."

"Oh, yeah? What about?"

"My sister called me here. I don't know how long I'll be staying, but most likely it will be long enough to need pocket change. I was wondering if the caretaker position at Wyndemere was still open?'

Alexis sighed. "No, I haven't gotten another caretaker, and to be honest I'm not sure I'm going to. The place is an albatross; I don't even like going there more than I can help. Besides, if Helena were to come back, that's the first place she'd lurk. But listen, whatever job you do get, feel free to use me as a reference."

"Thanks, I'll do that."

"Why don't you just work here?" Shawn suggested.

"You mean it, mate?'

"Yeah, of course. You're a Spencer, so this is your restaurant anyway, you have Alexis and Molly backing you, and one of my servers just quit on me. Can you start tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, all right I'll be here. If you ladies will excuse me, I should go by the Metro Court, and unpack my things." Ethan fished a bill out of his pocket, and plopped it on the counter."Kristina," he greeted on his way out the door. The twenty-year-old stared at his retreating back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Two updates in one week? Miraculous! –Probably because this is just the preview chapter adjusted for grammar (I hope) and it's place in the actual story, but I won't tell if you won't. Seriously, this timing is very close to a miracle, so don't get used to it, guys**

**MMM**

"Shawn, I'm taking my break," Ethan called up the boardinghouse steps, as he approached the newly arrived Kristina with a fresh pot of coffee.

After getting over her initial shock as his reappearance three weeks earlier, Kristina had embraced his presence gratefully, and quickly enough the two had restored their old camaraderie as if they had never been apart. She was now in the habit of visiting the diner almost daily. Alexis had shown concern at the reattachment, but Shawn put her at ease. After all, he was starting to see a light in Kristina's eyes—dim as it was—for the first time in a long while.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," Ethan replied, before his face broke into a teasing grin. "You know, this stuff will stain your teeth, not to mention stunt your growth, and you can't afford that, can you, love?"

Kristina made a face at him. "I'll take my chances."

"So have you decided what you're going to do?" Ethan asked. He knew all about Trey and Kristina's planned relocation to LA, and had suggested that she get away from Port Charles and her memories by following her original plan to spend a year studying aboard.

Kristina shook her head. "No go. Mom's in hovering mode right now, she'd never let me go as far as Florence."

Ethan couldn't blame Alexis for her worry, and although he would personally handle the situation by allowing the woman some distance, he was not a parent.

"But maybe if I told her I was staying in Rome with Brenda and Alec…do you think that would work?"

But before Ethan could answer, the overhead bell rang.

"Goddess-in-Training," panted Spinelli, as the door to Kelly's closed behind him. "I am fortunate to have found you."

Kristina turned around in her chair. "Why is that?" She studied the private investigator with the beginnings of a furrowed brow. "Sam had you tail me in case I was with Ethan, didn't she?"

"No, my Reluctant Mob Princess, neither Mr. Sir nor any of your fellow goddesses sent me to extract you from your beau."

"Good, because I am an adult. My life is my business, and please never use the phrase 'mob princess' again."

"I second that," voiced Sam from the doorway. "Hey, you two. We were hoping you'd be together."

"Just so we're clear, I'm not Kristina's…does anyone other than Spinelli even use the word 'beau' anymore?"

"Molly," chorused the sisters.

Ethan nodded in concession of the point. "Still can't believe she has one of those. So, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Sam sighed. "I don't know exactly how pleasant you'll find a speedy exit, but that's what we're working with here."

"Wait a minute, why does he have to leave?"

"Krissy, Spinelli has intelligence that says one of the Cassadine private jets is in the air and headed this way. We've contacted Sonny, he's going to send some men to help smuggle Ethan out of the country."

Kristina barely suppressed a growl. She was still furious at Sonny for making a mockery of Trey's memorial.

"Helena?" Ethan guessed.

"Yeah, we…we think so." Sam replied.

"Oh shit."

"But you can't go. I…I just lost Trey. I can't loose you too."

"Unfortunately, we can only assume that Her Royal Sadist has nothing pleasant planned for the son of the Proud—" He trailed off with a grimace as Sam's elbow connected with his side. "You have…excellent aim, Fair Samantha."

"Remind me to never piss you off," Ethan added pulling a chair out for Spinelli, who sat, and continued to massage the offended area. Sam ignored both of them and held her little sister's shoulders.

"You know Ethan won't be safe in Port Charles if Helena's really after him. She's twisted, and she doesn't know when to stop."

"That's putting it lightly," came a distinctly humorless laugh

"Gracious greetings, Mother of the Goddesses " said Spinelli directing everyone's attention to the descending attorney, whose appearance brought forth another gusty sigh from her middle daughter.

"Let's make this a family event while we're at it! Molly's got to be around here somewhere, right? I mean she's never too far away from TJ."

"Oh, cheer up, Kristina," Ethan joked. "You've just achieved full deity status in the last five minutes."

"And to answer your question, honey: no. Molly is at the house looking after Daniel. She is safely away—thank God—from any scenario involving TJ and the empty boardinghouse. I know this, because Shawn and I have been making use of the empty boardinghouse all afternoon. You really are too easy, Cookie," she added handed the spluttering girl a napkin. "Can't you tell when I'm kidding you by now. Besides if we were doing anything, there is nothing that would ruin my mood quite as quickly as hearing that old shrew's name. How much time until she descends."

The last question was directed at Sam, who found her voice with a sharp cough. "No way to tell."

"Is there at least time for me to say goodbye to Luke?" Ethan wanted to know.

The private investigators shared a skeptical look.

"It would be prudent to vacate the premises immediately," Spinelli replied. "Our job is to escort Ethan to the Metro Court, and into the care of Max and Milo."

"Safely," added Sam, "bring him safely, but not directly, Ethan deserves to say goodbye to his father. For God sake, they've only seen each other once since Dante got the American ambassador to Turkey to negotiate Luke's release, but I can handle this if you'd rather go back to the office…"

"It would be unwise to risk the wrath of Mr. Sir and his associates by allowing you to transport and guard three civilians by yourself, not to mention ungentlemanly."

Sam smirked. That was exactly what she had expected him to say. "So you've made your choice. Good, let's go."

Spinelli looked so taken aback by this turn of events that Alexis had to laugh. "Sam, my darling, you really should have been a lawyer."

0o0o0o

The five of them were squeezed into the ascending elevator, because Spinelli had insisted—as condition of the detour, and a way to expedite the process—that the remaining four would pack Ethan's belongings while he said his goodbyes to Luke and Carly. The former was not too hard to find, he happened to be approaching just as the elevator doors slid open.

"Ladies, Dodge," he greeted, acknowledging Spinelli's presence with a nod. "Is there a party I didn't know about?"

"Not in less the guest of honor is…what's that pet name you have for Helena, Dad?"

"There were a few actually…good times…"

Alexis snorted. "As someone who has personally had the misfortune of watching you flirt with the old hag, I have to tell you it was truly nauseating."

"Are we a little jealous, Natasha?"

"Funny. You're a regular comedian, aren't you?"

"You know you love me." Luke gave her his most charming smile.

Alexis ignored him, but her eyes were sparkling. "Goodbye, Ethan. I hope you stay safe. We'll wait for Max and Milo, and send them your way."

"They've been here," Luke called, as Ethan released Kristina from a hug. Sam—who had already turned halfway around—spun on her heel.

"'Been here," she repeated slowly. "As in been here and gone."

"Yep."

"What the hell, Luke?"

"This is indeed a most distressing turn of events," Spinelli commented, quailing slightly under Luke's glare.

"The Dodger isn't in any danger, so I saw no reason for a guard team."

Alexis scoffed. "Right, because to you, Helena is just a fluffy little pussycat. It was one of the nicknames…Pussycat. Don't look at me like I'm insane, I am your mother!"

Sam and Kristina immediately rearranged their expressions into masks of neutrality, while Ethan pursed his lips in consideration. "I think Spinelli's moniker fits her better."

"Believe me, if Helena had any actual claim to the throne, Europe as we know it would cease to exist. Which brings me to join my daughter in asking why you, Luke, would send away your son's best chance at protection."

"Plenty of people could be in possession of your family jet, Natasha."

"What are you talking about?"

"Let's say, for the sake of argument, that one of your other relatives was making a glorious return."

"Like Nik?" Kristina spoke up hopefully.

Alexis's heart dropped. She knew how dearly Kristina missed her cousin, and the bond they had developed in Kiefer's wake. "Oh, honey, while nothing would delight me more than a visit from my nephews, I'm positive Nikolas and Spencer have said goodbye to Port Charles for good. And they—aside from the four of us—are the last of the Cassadine clan."

"Yes, but you know as well as I do that are several coward Cassadines who could be hiding out on some other private island…ducking charges, perhaps."

"Mom?" Sam raised her eyebrows.

"He's blowing smoke, though I have no idea why."

"Can't see I'm surprised you're reacting like this. It's an unbelievable story, and I've hardly done it justice."

0o0o0o

Kristina glanced around the Metro Court dining room, trying unsuccessfully to find something besides clinking cutlery to fill the silence "Okay, this is got to be the most painful meal I've ever sat through, and that includes those dinners with Dad."

"Well, that's because Luke has yet enlighten the rest of us as to the identity of this redeemed Cassadine," Alexis replied. "Who is it?"

Luke set down his fork and lifted his head to meet her gaze. "Your darling brother, Stefan."

"Your mum has brothers?" Ethan whispered. Kristina nodded, holding up two fingers. She was too worried about her mother's current expression of shock to respond verbally. Finally, Sam asked the question on everyone's mind. "What's the story there?"

"Stefan and Nikolas are apparently on good terms again, and Nikolas's position as CEO of General Hospital puts him in touch with Monica. She told him…"

"Told him about Jason's death," Sam supplied in a whisper.

"How dare you!" Her voice was calm, but as biting as winters chill showing her Cassadine roots in every syllable.

"Natasha?"

"No, you don't get to do that! You will not call me that in the same breath as you are mocking my brother's suicide, and my son-in-law's death!"

Luke seemed—it appeared to the onlookers—genuinely sad for the pain he was causing his friend. "The plan wasn't supposed to go this well."

"What plan would that be?" Alexis snapped.

"Look in Helena's her mind Nikolas was the perfect heir. As long as nothing threatened her influence over Nikolas, as long as she could groom him as she liked, Helena really had no use for Stefan…until Emily Quartermaine came along. You're aware of the history between the Quartermaines and the Cassadines…how your uncle Tony was engaged to Edward's niece, Alexandria? Until, they _accidentally_ walked into Mikkos's ice chamber and froze to death, that is. Mikkos never did like Alex and Tony…well he was what they call collateral damage."

Kristina paled. "Mikkos didn't mean to kill him though, right? I mean even Dad wouldn't kill Ric or Courtney."

"The Cassadines have an entirely different moral code," Ethan explained as gently as he could.

"Which is exactly why I don't what I don't want my daughters exposed to their antics. They've already heard enough. Sam why don't you follow Kristina home? Daniel is probably missing his momma by now."

"Home, that's a good idea, I've just about lost my appetite anyway. Come on, Kris."

Alexis was relieved to see her daughters (accompanied by Spinelli, who had taken the same car as Sam) depart from the sight of such as macabre conversation. She would have gladly joined them, but for the fact that the idea of Stefan's "resurrection" held as much power over her as Stefan himself had enjoyed in person.

If nothing else, the way she just jumped to his defense—even in death—was proof that she had missed him, missed even the uncaring incarnation of her beloved brother that had returned from Milan. This was something Alexis resented as fully and completely as she would have welcomed any other emotion that set her apart from the notoriously cold and unfeeling Cassadines. But perhaps Luke held the answer to her brother's downward spiral, an answer she had been wanting for almost a decade now.

And so she stayed…

"Alexis?" Ethan's voice brought her out her musings. "Alexis, are you all right?"

"Fine," she insisted. "I'm just…hot, really, really hot." And in order to keep up the illusion that this was her only problem, Alexis began to fan herself with the placard that advertised the Metro Court's specials. "You were talking about the Quartermaines?"

Luke nodded. "Helena tracked Stefan to Milan after she found out through one of her many lackeys that Stefan had allowed Nikolas to become involved with Emily."

"Involved?" Alexis parroted. "If—in keeping with your theory—Helena had someone keeping track of Nikolas—"

"And she did," Luke repeated.

"If that were the case than she would have known that he was engaged to Gia Campbell at the time."

"Do you really think Helena cared whether or not they had a love connection?" asked Luke. "Bottom line, she made quite clear to Stefan that if he didn't make it his mission to dispose of Emily, he wasn't worth the breath he took."

"Color me shocked," muttered Alexis. It disgusted her that Stefan who had been a beacon of steadfast resistance against Helena in his youth, could ever acquiesce to such a blatant manipulation. However, she knew the Cassadines saw strength in the trait of self-preservation, and Stefan was no different…apparently at the expense of everyone else, including she and Nikolas, the family he had claimed to love. "I fail to see where you fit in, Luke."

"_Moi_, well I saved the parasite, of course."

"Saved him, right," Alexis drawled. "As I recall you were second only to Helena in your desire to dance on his grave."

"Okay, you got me, I hated Count Vlad with every fiber of my being, but I love my children and I would've do anything to protect Lucky from being re-traumatized, even it meant helping Stefan make Helena think he was dead, so she wouldn't come back and do it herself. She actually congratulated me at the funeral, you know?"

"Oh, I bet she did!" Alexis snarled. "What about the stabbing, and Stefan falling off the cliff?"

"All staged," Luke admitted. "Lucky had already called a boat for Stefan to swim out to when he landed. Of course he still had to arrest me to make everything seem on the up and up."

"And you told me none of this while I was defending you?"

On his own from the age of fifteen, Ethan had seen and done so many amoral and illegal things that very little shocked him. This however… "You defended the man who supposedly killed your own brother?"

"The charges were dropped after Stefan's death was ruled a suicide," Alexis informed him.

"Forging that sure came in handy." Luke grinned bitterly. "Common enemy or not, I knew the little weasel would try and frame me for his 'murder', and it looks like I was right, wasn't I?"

Alexis had never experienced such a pounding headache when sober. She stood up, massaging her temples, and took her coat off the back of the chair. "I have better things to do than stand here and listen to you gloat. In fact, what I really want to do is spend the rest of the night with my daughters, and my grandson, so if you'll excuse me."

"Do you want me to give you a ride home?" Ethan offered.

"No, I mean thank you, Ethan, but no. I just wanted…I want to apologize for what Helena's done. You have no place in this Spencer versus Cassadine nonsense, and I'm just glad this ended up being a false alarm."

He grinned crookedly. "You and me both."

**Pretty please spend the thirty seconds it takes to send an actual review. I'd appreciate it, even if it's CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. **

**MMM**


	4. Chapter 4

"I want you to listen to me, both of you," began Sam, as she pulled out of The Metro Court parking lot. "You may not agree with me here, but at least hear me out. I don't think any of us should say a word about this to Molly. It's not really our news to tell, anyway."

"If that is you deem prudent I will, of course, keep silent," agreed Spinelli.

"Kristina?"

"Why can't she know? Molly worships the thought of Uncle Stefan like he's a tragic hero out of one her novels. My God, she's read that book of Russian poets cover to cover, and maybe now she won't bore the two of us with conversations about Shakespeare, and novelists of the nineteenth century. She'll have an equal."

"Yes, but Kristina, Moll is _fifteen_, and her life is complicated enough dealing with her boyfriend and her schoolwork, not to mention Kate Howard's manuscript-stealing alter. The absolute last thing she needs added to her plate is the idea that Luke kept Stefan from us all these years...it will just resurrect a family feud between us and the Spencers that should stay buried. Besides, in case you didn't notice, Mom isn't totally thrilled with all of this, and she should really be the one to decide how much Molly knows or doesn't know."

"What, pray tell, do we know about the Goddess Mother's elusive sibling?"

"Not much," Kristina replied. "If I ever met him, I don't remember it. His supposed death happened when I was really young, before Sam came to town."

"Before I had a chance to meet him, anyway. Everything I know about him, I learned from talking to Nikolas.

"Which is what exactly?"

Kristina laughed. "Geez, Spinelli, I never knew you were this nosy. You're almost as bad as Sam."

"That, little sister, is the habit of a private investigator. It's the details you get from recon that have the potential to save or sink a sting."

"One can never be too careful when it comes to the welfare of the Davis goddesses and Small Stone Cold The Sequel.

"Stefan brought Nikolas to town when he was a teenager no older than Molly, to dangle him in front of Laura Spencer because Lulu was sick with something called aplastic anemia. I don't know what the hell that means, but apparently she needed bone marrow, and the best chance for a match comes from siblings."

"So The Blonde One owes The Princely One for facilitating her survival past childhood?"

"Pretty much," San nodded. "And Stefan never let the Spencers forget it. According to Nikolas, Stefan was awful to Laura for leaving Nik behind when she went back to Luke, but he also had some sort of thing for her. Stefan protected Laura from his older brother Stavros, when Stavros and Helena were holding her on Cassadine Island in Greece. Their friendship turned into an affair, and for a while Laura and Nikolas weren't sure if Stavros or Stefan was Nikolas's real father.

Spinelli whistled through his front teeth. "Your family tree has many gnarled and twisted branches," he chuckled, before getting out in front of McCall and Jackal PI, where Sam had pulled to a stop. "Farewell, ladies."

"He's right, you know," said Kristina as she swapped to the front seat, and buckled in. "Our family is completely screwed up!"

Sam shrugged. "Yeah, well, what did you think Mom was warning you about? This is exactly the kind of stuff we need to shield Molly from until and unless Mom decides otherwise. I mean it, Krissy, not a word!"

0o0o0o

** Thirty Minutes Earlier**

"Grandma! Good, you're on duty."

"Well, of course I am, Mike," Bobbie Spencer looked up from the medical file she was perusing. "When is the last time you saw me outside these four walls?"

"I haven't seen much of you at all lately."

"My point exactly," Bobbie replied coming around the desk. "Now, get yourself over here, and give me a hug."

"Can you reach?" Michael asked. The inquiry earned him a swat on the arm.

"'Can you reach?' he asks! Your mother got her height from me, I'll have you know." Bobbie stopped in the middle of what would have been a very impassioned speech to snort. "Ugh, that's not saying much, is it?"

"No, not really."

"Yeah, well." Bobbie shrugged. "And you really don't need to call me 'Grandma', Mike. I'm far too young for a name like that. Call me Bobbie."

"I don't know... that's just weird."

"Weird that I'm a G-word three times over," Bobbie supplied. "Tell me about, kiddo! It's kind of frightening, actually. A blessing and everything, but scary. After all, I'm only…you know what, never mind. What can I do for you, gorgeous?"

"I was wondering about the girl who was in the accident with me. I think her name is Ellie."

"Ellie Trout, yeah. She's a lab tech here."

"How is she?"

"She'll recover, Mike. Unfortunately that's about as much information as I can give someone who isn't a family member, but you can see her if you like. Come on, I'll take you...oh for God sake, not that woman!"

"Who?"

"Nurse Spencer, I'm going to need a peek at that file you were working on. Could you get it for me?"

"No, Dr. Westbourne, I couldn't. You have full use of your legs; unlike the patient I'm about to check on. Come on, Michael."

"Who the hell does that woman think she is talking to me that way?" Britt Westbourne muttered.

"Bobbie?" asked Patrick Drake, who had been observing the scene with an expression of amusement. "Clearly, she's the kind of person who has no problem throwing the crap you shovel right back in your face."

"To which I say, 'Brava, Nurse Spencer.'"

"Shut up, Felix!" Britt snapped over her shoulder. "Go somewhere, and make yourself useful! What on earth is so funny, Patrick?"

The outraged expression she wore only made him laugh harder. "Wow, it really gets under your skin that there are nurses around here you can't bully, doesn't it?

Britt scoffed. "Bobbie Spencer is only on staff here, because she and Dr. Quartermaine used to be family."  
"Bobbie worked here ages before her brother ever even thought of Tracy Quartermaine, but nice try. I have rounds" And Patrick disappeared into the elevator, leaving Britt steaming in his wake.

"How wonderful for you, you overly-groomed, sanctimonious little…"

"Excuse me, Madam, perhaps when you are through with your infantile antics, you can assist me?" drawled a male voice. "I require information stored in the medical file of Alexis Davis, specifically her most recent address."

"Do I look like the 4-1-1 operator?" Britt snapped without looking up.

"You appear to be either new or slow," replied the man bluntly, "for these are the only two circumstances which might explain this dreadful lack of service. It is also clear that you have been sadly dispossessed of any good breeding you may have acquired in childhood, because you've yet to make eye contact while I am speaking to you."

Britt eyed the stranger critically. His features were aristocratic, his clothes well tailored and neat. "What's a man dressed like you doing in a place like this?"

"My attire is no concern of yours, Madam."

"_Dr_. Westbourne will do."

"Yes, of course." The man barely inclined his head. "Now if you will not give me the information I deserve as both a family member of Alexis, and newly reinstated chief trustee of this hospital, I will find someone who shall. I cannot say it has been pleasurable conversing."

"Oh my, oh my God!" Bobbie cried, grasping the support bar of the open elevator.

"Ah, Barbara Jean, yes, you'll do perfectly."

"St—Stefan? Stefan Cassadine?"

"Indeed."

"So, I guess it is true, only the good die young."

"Well, that does explain your brother's continued existence."

Bobbie rolled her eyes. "And what about your sister? Does Alexis know you're in town?" Hell, does Alexis even know you're _alive_?"

"As soon as I find out where she is residing, I intend to go to her and reveal myself."

0o0o0

"Wow, Danny, you were hungry!" Molly gushed as she sat in front of her nephew's high chair. "Mommy's going to be so proud of her big boy." The nine-month-old smiled, showing off his one tooth, as if it were a trophy.

"Okay, here we go." Molly undid the high chair tray with a grin, only to be slightly repulsed by what happened next. A knock sounded on the door at the exact moment an avalanche of baby food fell on Danny's mouth and down Molly's front. "Oh, great," Molly groaned, hoisting her nephew onto her hip, as she headed to answer the door. Well, I'm not exactly dressed for company, so I hope our visitor is here to see you. TJ, hi."

"Interesting look," her boyfriend chuckled.

"Mr. Mess over here doesn't know how to spit up before I take him out of the high chair. Cleanup would be easier that way."

"Some would mashed carrot spit up is the sincerest form of flattery."

"Well then, next time Uncle TJ can feed you, huh? Can you hold him while I change, please?"

"Sure, come here buddy. Are you sure your family doesn't mind my being over here while you babysit?"

"I don't see the problem. You've helped me watch Danny before." Molly pointed out untucking her hair from the neck of her sweater.

"I, however, am not as certain that your mother would approve of such an arrangement. It is far from proper for a young Cassadine to be in the company of her suitor without a chaperone."

TJ stood up with an expression of confusion. "Who are the Cassadines, and who the hell is that?"

"Why is the door open for all the world?" Sam called as she approached. "Danny might catch cold." As she took her son from TJ, her eyes travelled to the man still standing on threshold. He shared a number of features with her mother, except for an almost imperceptible white wisp running down the left side of his face, the evidence of what a good plastic surgeon can accomplish for those who have the money. "You beat us home."

"I have," Stefan came forward as Sam's free hand beckoned in invitation. "I received the address from the nurses of General Hospital."

"So much for 'not a word'," muttered Kristina, the last to enter, as she closed the door behind the whole party.

"There was nothing to keep from me, " Molly assured her. "I know who this is."

"You do?" chorused Kristina, and TJ. Stefan looked at Molly expectantly.

"Yeah, I do. He's Mom's brother, and he should have stayed dead!"

The last part of this little tirade was made to the background noise of keys jingling in the lock, and Alexis entered just in time to see her youngest take off up the stairs.

"Molly!" she called in alarm, looking from Kristina, to TJ, to Stefan for an explanation, while Sam tended to her crying son. "Molly!"


	5. Chapter 5

Stefan Darius Mikkosovitch Cassadine could not have gotten through his less-than-nurturing childhood in Greece without the acute ability to remain stoic, but Sam could tell it was a mask.

"I don't know why Molly acted that way just now," she admitted, having just come back from putting a sleeping Danny down in the spare playpen Alexis kept. It just didn't seem right to go back to the penthouse when she may be of some help figuring out what was going on with her normally level headed and respectful little sister. "Not that I'm condoning it, but she's not usually like that." So saying, Sam perched on the sofa arm, which caused Stefan's eyebrows to rise alarmingly.

"She's been going through a really hard time lately," Kristina added.

"I know more about teenage angst than you would believe, having raised Nikolas. There must something in the air here in Port Charles that makes young ones defiant of their elders, but that anger was aimed directly at me, a man whom she has never met."

"I'm sure it will be fine," said Kristina, ending the subject that was quickly becoming uncomfortable. "So, um…how are Nikolas and Spencer?"

Stefan made a face that clearly said he was not yet reconciled to the fact that his nephew had named the Cassadine heir after his bitter enemy. "Well, as I am sure you aware Nikolas and I have mended our acquaintance. Alexei—as his proper name is in my presence, and should have been all along—is well. He enjoys Greece immensely, and has become quite the little equestrian."

0o0o0o

While this was going on downstairs, Alexis stood knocking at Molly's bedroom door. "All right, that's it, young lady, I'm coming in." When Alexis opened the door, she found her daughter curled up in a defensive position, with her knees pulled toward her chest, and her chin resting in her lap. "Okay, Molly, care to tell me what went on down there?"

"Not really?" Molly whispered.

Alexis sighed, and came over to sit on the bed. "You're going to make me work here, aren't you? Did Stefan say anything to you? Did TJ say something to you?"

"No."

"Well, in that case, I'm not following."

"It's kind of a long story, and you may not like it."

"I've got time." Alexis promised. "And as your mother, I may not always like what you, Krissy, and Sam have to tell me, that's a given. Tell me anyway."

"One day this summer, when I was in the library at Wyndemere—"

Alexis held up her hand. "Hold on just a minute, you went to Wyndemere this summer?"

Molly nodded.

"You ditched your phone—my only means of communication with you—and took the launch to Spoon Island, alone, and without my permission?"

"Well, yeah, but I needed to be by myself a while, because I was mourning the baby we thought was Danny."

"Wyndemere is the last place you go when you want to be alone, Molly. Terrible things have happened there, criminals have hidden out…people have been murdered."

"You're talking about Emily Quartermaine, right?"

"In your lifetime, yes."

Molly shivered slightly. "Anyway, I found this journal. It was leather bound and fancy, but Mom it had some of the most awful entries."

"It probably belonged to Stavros, may he rot in Hell. This is exactly what I was talking about, darling. This is exactly why you have to be careful in that creepy, damned place. In fact, don't go out there without me again. Do you understand?"

"Mom…"

"I asked you a question, Molly!"

"Yes, I understand, but I'm not done, Mom."

"Oh God, what else? What now?"

"The journal didn't belong to Stavros, Mom, it was Stefan's."

Alexis's felt horrible. She had a pretty good idea where this was going, and her heart was breaking at the very idea that Molly had found out.

"And the awful things he said…they were all about you, Mom. How you betrayed him…how you were dead to him…he laughed at a so-called 'breakdown' that you apparently had when you came and told him you were his sister, and he wouldn't believe you. He even accused you of forging legal documents. Like you would ever do that!"

"Actually honey, I kind of did do that once upon a time. Look Moll, there are a lot of things about Stefan and I…and the whole Cassadine family dynamic, that you don't understand, and frankly I'd like to keep it that way for now."

"Well, fine," Molly huffed. "If you're going to start defending him, I'm going to bed."

It was getting late; Alexis knew she wouldn't get anywhere that night, so sighing in resignation he kissed her daughter on the top of the head, and stood up. "I hurt Stefan too," she whispered, before exiting. "As much as he hurt me, if not more. Just don't be too hard on him…for me."

0o0o0o

"How's Molly?" Sam inquired.

"She's fine for now. She's in her room, so you don't have to stay if you don't want, although I did appreciate the possible backup."

"No problem. I was a teenager too, not that long ago."

"This is a little more serious than teenage angst. I would say you have a lot of explaining to do, Stefan, but as far Molly is concerned your sixteen-year-old journal did that for you."

"What are you talking about?" Kristina asked drowsily, groaning slightly as her legs were gently removed from Sam's lap, where she had grown quite comfortable.

"That should stay between your uncle and your sister," Alexis replied, as she watched Sam gather Danny's things, and her own purse and coat. There was really no reason to spread any more ill will within the family. "Here Sam, let me help you get to the car. I have a lot of experience moving babies without waking them. Hello, precious, come here."

Stefan examined the infant in his sister's arms. "He's a fine-looking boy, but…forgive me, he doesn't have any of your features."

Sam smiled. "He definitely takes after his Morgan side."

"Morgan. Do you mean to tell me that the child was sired by Jason Morgan, Alexis?"

The smile vanished, as Sam quickly became defensive. "As a matter of fact, yes. Do you have some sort of problem with that?"

"Sam, relax." Alexis commanded, perhaps with added force due to her whisper. "Let me handle this. The child—whose name is Daniel, by the way—happens to be my grandson, Stefan, and as such I won't have you saying anything against his father, no matter how much you hated each other."

Stefan watched helplessly as Alexis followed Sam and the diaper bag out of the house. It seemed he was alienating himself with the utmost proficiency, and that had to be rectified, starting with his youngest niece.

0o0o0o

Molly was sitting in bed reading, when she heard a knock on the door her mother had kept open.

"May I come in?"

The teen accessed her uncle from out of the corner of her eye. "What will you do if I say 'no'? I don't call myself Cassadine in the first place, and I don't have a medallion so it's not like you can rip it off my neck and kick me out of the family!"

Stefan didn't flinch. "You have an admirable spirit, Molly, and I mean no patronization. If you felt the need to avenge your mother by banishing me from your room, or from the house it would only, as the American expression goes, serve me right."

"No arguments there."

"I dare to hope if you do send me away, that you will one day allow me to perhaps mitigate those of my actions that cannot be excused. Until then pleasant dreams, my little one." Stefan turned away, and made for the stairs.

"Wait," Molly called. Unlike either of her uncles, she could not keep the cold and vengeful act up for long. "You can stay, if you want."

"I will, thank you." Stefan took a seat in an overstuffed chair across from his niece's bed. For some time, each studied the other in their mutual quiet way, but after a while Stefan cleared his throat.

"Ordinarily, Nikolas frowns upon the telling of this story, but I'm sure when I inform him of the purpose to which it was put, he will find it in his heart to pardon me. Will you hear it?"

Molly shrugged. "Sure."

*"When Nikolas was six years old Helena brought a tutor to Cassadine Island for him: a young woman by the name of Dimitria. Now Dimitria was a vivacious and lively girl, bright, charming, simply a born teacher."

Molly was trying her best to look disinterested, but a sudden sound startled her into looking up. Stefan was laughing. His laugh was soft, almost as if he'd forgotten how to do it, or at least didn't do it very often, but it was nice.

"Well, Nikolas would have none of it. He was so rude to her. He disobeyed her from the very start…played horrible pranks, and made all kinds of mischief."

This was enough to draw a response from the girl. "Nikolas? You've got to be joking!"

"You think so?" Another laugh. "Oh, if you only knew what a little devil your cousin could be when he was small, so much so that I expected the woman to quit. I couldn't understand why she didn't, but you see he was testing her. He was testing her loyalty, her spirit, her staying power."

"Who won?" Molly whispered.

"She did. When Nikolas was quite sure that nothing he did would be able to drive her away, he gradually began to trust in, and learn from her, and he blossomed for it. I do believe she came to genuinely love him, and I know that he loved her. But—"

"There's a but?" Molly groaned.

Stefan nodded sadly. "But Helena soon became jealous of the bond that had formed between governess and pupil. One night, Dimitria was summoned to Helena's suite, and told—quite without warning—that her services were no longer required. She was sent under guard to pack her belongings."

"Was she at least given a chance to…you know, to say goodbye to Nikolas?"

"She was gone before morning. When Nikolas woke, they told him that she had run off with a local fellow from the nearby village during the night, and hadn't cared to so much as leave a note."

"That's…that's horrible!"

"Yes. As you can imagine, he was devastated, and very much confused, but most of all, he felt abandoned for a second time, by a woman whom I'm quite certain he considered his mother figure of sorts. Alexis loved him dearly of course, but he never saw her…she left Greece to attend Maine's Briarton Griggs Academy years before his birth, and never returned. I saw Nikolas cry one—bitterly, but then no more. He told those who asked that she displeased him, and he had her sent away. He ordered the servants to remove anything around him that reminded him of her. All the trinkets she had given him—beautiful things—were hastily banished, those around him were sternly rebuked if they even dared to mention the woman. After a while she was never spoken of at all. In effect she was as good as dead. The shell that he developed afterward was very strong, and not easily penetrated. Dimitria, he thought, had ceased to care for him, and so he ceased to care for anyone, but a chosen and very select few. His thoughts were mistaken, of course, as I learned on a business trip to Athens years later, where I ran into Dimitria at a restaurant. She was married by this time, with a young child of her own, yet she asked after Nikolas with the same obvious devotion she had always felt toward him. * Do you know why I've told you this?"

"I have an idea."

"Betrayal, Molly, however false, is most felt deeply and bitterly, when committed by those one loves most deeply. I, like Nikolas, disowned and banished your mother, as a way to deaden the dreadful pain and hurt I felt at her actions regarding Katherine Bell, which as I say does not abate my own actions by any means. My love for Alexis was buried, but still there, still strong. My love for my family—Nikolas and Alexis—is the same now, stronger in fact, because it is expanded. I now feel love for Alexei—that is to say _Spencer_" He spat out the name with distaste, "as well as for you and your sisters."

"Don't forget Danny."

"And Daniel. For as much as we've all hurt and betrayed one another, Nikolas and Alexis taught me what it means to love, and for that I cannot repay them. May I give you a kiss goodnight?"

Molly considered this. It would have seemed an insignificant gesture between uncle and niece, if the journal entry in question hadn't begun with an unsettling passage about "kissing his betrayer before he banished her".

"Not today, not yet."

"Fair enough, darling. Just know that I love you very much." With that, Stefan left the room, feeling as though he had said his piece. As he descended the stairs, he could just make out a whispered declaration.

"I love you too, Uncle Stefan."

**Starred text taken almost in its entirety from Return of the Cassadines part 82, a YouTube video, and is the property of GH and ABC. Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

Alexis returned from a breakfast meeting with Sonny, to the tune of yet another racket. She had not eaten, though Sonny had offered, because she preferred to spend the meal with her brother for the first time in many years. In fact, she was hoping they could have a much-needed conversation during that time. "Hello?" she called.

"In here, Alexis," came the muffled reply from the kitchen.

"Stefan? Where are the girls? And what in the world have you been doing in here?" she added when she saw the full extent of the mess that had evidently occurred in her absence.

"I, Alexis, have been trying to work the blasted coffee maker, trying being the operative word here."

"I see that," Alexis laughed, shooing him away from the machine. "My poor big brother can't get through his morning without a legion of servants at his command. Don't worry, I'll teach you how to get along in the real world."

"Oh, really. Are you sure you're the correct person to perform that duty, your cooking skills are negligible, if I remember correctly. Speaking of which, a perusal of the refrigerator tells me that your eating habits are far from improved."

"Correct on both counts," she confirmed unabashedly. "Lucky for me, I can manage coffee, because my long hours make it a requirement."

"Do you plan on actually eating this morning, or is caffeine your chief food group?" Stefan asked, with a nod of thanks as Alexis handed him a mug, and set her own down in favor of rummaging through the cupboard.

"Of course I plan on eating. Would you like anything?"

"I've already had my grapefruit, thank you."

"Good," Alexis pulled the foil off of a breakfast pastry. "Then I can eat this in front of you without feeling bad, not that I'd expect you to fully appreciate its—"

"Complete lack of nutritional value?"

"Deliciousness."

"Yes, well, I've bought some extra grapefruits and left them in fridge, not only for my own consumption when I dine here, but on the assumption that you, my dear, would not willingly add them to your shopping list. I advise you to eat them if you wish to avoid the delights of scurvy."

Alexis pushed the button on the toaster in an act of silence defiance that made Stefan smile grudgingly. "You never answered my question, where are Molly and Kristina?"

"Samantha picked them up bright and early—much to Kristina's distress—so that the three of them could take Daniel to the shopping mall. Her reception of me is still rather icy."

"Honestly, Stefan, what did you expect after you put your foot in your mouth last night?"

"Nothing less than what I received. After all, the woman can be just as headstrong as her mother before her when the stubborn mood strikes. This I've gathered after less than twenty-four hours. What I don't understand is why shopping malls have sales dedicated to spring, while it is still early February, and cold as Helena's black hole of a heart."

"The Western Christians have an early Easter this year, and that's how Sam is going to raise Danny, as Jason wanted."

"A mobster with morals and religion," Stefan scoffed. "Now that is a new phenomenon. I suppose he broke every commandment they hold dear in that faith."

"As the Cassadines could have also claimed, if we had practiced any religion."

"The Cassadines are Greek Orthodox."

"In name only. Besides, Jason only did what he did because Lila was religious."

"And were it not for his grandmother, I would doubt entirely that Jason Morgan knew the meaning of the word loyalty, and I am speaking about true loyalty not this preposterous idea of 'The Code'."

Alexis could not argue that much. She hated when Sonny threw around 'The Code' to justify his actions, and it was one of the things she had to deal with once again, now that she was back on retainer. "Be that as it may, Jason has many people around here who are still loyal to him, and Sam is among them. So, if you what to have any kind of relationship with her, you need to stop badmouthing her deceased husband, from whose death, if I heard correctly, you're here to help her recover. To be honest, I'm surprised you even know about Sam."

"I simply gathered it was nothing more than a strategic move on Father's part to send me off on my two years of military obligation so abruptly."

"You would have advocated for me."

"Hadn't I always? You deserved an innocent who could give you the same kind of unconditional love you showed me all those years ago. I looked after Samantha from afar, paying off the men swindled in the schemes she concocted in order to take care of the McCall boy. Samantha is a true Cassadine to be sure, but her qualities have escaped the corruption that so often accompanies them, and of that you should be proud."

"I suppose you compensated her latter husband from off-shore accounts while you were playing dead."

"I made use of them, yes, particularly in persuading that wretched Amelia Joffe woman to leave town."

"I would think it would've been in your best interest to inform me of all this, Stefan, especially the Amelia situation. After all, I never suited you better than when I was beholden to you by a debt of gratitude!"

"Ah, the crux of the matter." Stefan sat up a little straighter. "Go on, I will take willingly."

0o0o0o

"Ever heard that cell phone radiation causes cancer," Sam remarked, by way of commenting on Kristina's third call o the device in the last ten minutes. The two of them and Danny were sitting on a bench outside the Queens Point Mall's bookstore, into which Molly had just disappeared. "Who was on the phone?"

Kristina rolled her eyes. Her sister obviously needed a new case with which to occupy her time. "Ethan. Dante got called in, so Ethan went to Lulu's consultation with Dr. Lee. They're going to see if any of the others eggs in her sample are fit for implantation, so Dante and Lulu can make an informed decision about whether they want to go through the process of finding another surrogate."

"That's…that's great." Sam went over one of Danny's fallen toys with a baby wipe before handing it back to him—a good thing, because it was promptly reinserted into his mouth.

"You sound so enthused about the possibility that Ethan and I could still have a mutual nephew or niece."

"Oh, come on don't be that way. If anyone can sympathize with Lulu's struggles to have a baby, it's me. I hope everything works out for Lulu and Dante."

"Yeah, but neither you nor Mom is crazy about me reconnecting with Ethan, I can tell."

"We don't—oh, how do I put this—we don't want you to get hurt, or worked up over Ethan, or anyone else, but if Ethan is the person that can help you through your grief, then that's great."

"And the age difference?"

"Are you planning on dating him? Age didn't matter the last time you tried."

Kristina sat in thought for a minute. "Well, the last time I planned something potentially life-altering, the other key participant died, so I think I'll hold off on any plans."

"If you do…decide to date Ethan, I'm sure Trey wouldn't mind. He would want you to move on when you were ready, and to be happy."

"What Trey really wanted was my part of Dad's inheritance."

Sam shook her head. "No, honey, that was Joe Jr. I think Trey genuinely cared for you, and speaking of Sonny, if his reaction is the part you're worried about, I'll handle him and Mom. If you tell Mom I told you this I will deny it, but honestly, the five year difference thing really isn't as bad now as it was when you were barely eighteen."

Kristina smiled. It was nice to know her sister was behind her, though in principle it didn't matter. The combination of Cassadine and Corinthos genes within her gave her the knowledge that it was often better to beg for forgiveness, than ask for permission. "Oh, a text."

"From Ethan?"

"No, from Mom. She wants us all to meet her for lunch at Kelly's."

Sam tried not to groan. "Probably going to make another pitch for Danny and I to move back home. She seems to have forgotten she turned my old room into a home office."

"You and Danny can share my room when I'm gone."

"Oh yeah, and where are you going?"

"Just because I'm not at an Ivy League college anymore, doesn't mean I can't have my junior year abroad in Florence."

"That's one bombshell you're dropping on your own, sister. Now, can you go round up Molly? Danny here needs to put on a fresh diaper for Grandma."

0o0o0o

"There are my girls, and by grandbaby! Sit, sit!"

Danny looked around the diner with interest from his position on Sam's hip. His mother laughed. "No, babycakes, there's no doggie here. Grandma's just excited to see us."

"Where's Uncle Stefan?" Molly asked.

Alexis laughed. "Oh, darling, your uncle would never eat diner food, especially if doing so meant patronizing an establishment owned by Luke Spencer"

Kristina shook her head. "But Ethan is the only Spencer around here regularly, and Shawn gave him the morning off."

Alexis ignored the fact, deciding to address her daughter's memorization of the young man's work schedule later. "Your uncle also claims he and his staff are busy trying to Wyndemere livable again, and that could take months, no matter how well Ethan kept up the place."

"How big of a staff are we talking about?" inquired Sam, who had always seen Nikolas's sometimes high-maintenance attitude as a source of great amusement. She had often joked that her cousin saw Alfred as an extra, and much-needed limb.

"A valet. And Mrs. Lansbury's niece has agreed to cook for him and do light housekeeping, pretty low-key for someone in my family. Good thing too, because I caught him _trying_ to brew coffee this morning, if you can try and picture that."

Molly surveyed her mother from over the plate of fries Shawn had just placed in the middle of their table. "You look upset."

"Oh, I don't know if 'upset' is the right word," Alexis replied. "Stefan and I had long discussion this morning. I guess you could say I'm still reeling. This is family time, Kristina, and I don't get as often as I would like. Silence the cell phone."

"Hold on, Mom, this is important."

"More important than spending time with your aging mother. That's what all this sweating means, you know. I'm getting old, and tired, and sweaty."

"And cranky," added Kristina from behind her cell phone, which earned her a glare.

"You're beautiful, Alexis." Shawn assured the woman with a wink to her middle daughter. "And if that's Ethan you're texting, tell him I need him back here ASAP."

0o0o0o

Ethan was not on his way back to Kelly's, however. In fact while waiting for Lulu at the hospital, he had overheard Bobbie telling Elizabeth Webber about a meeting regarding the reinstatement of Stefan Cassadine as the General Hospital's CEO, and had been unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness that gripped him since—a sudden urge to protect Kristina and Molly Davis by any means necessary. As soon as Lulu was in her apartment Ethan had hailed the launch, and now he found himself swathed in the mist that seemed characteristic of Spoon Island.

Taking care not to alert anyone to his approach, Ethan crept around the back of the castle, praying that the tunnel entrance he wanted was as he remembered it.

It was.

Hidden between the vines that had made a valiant attempt at claiming the place Ethan's absence was a sliding panel, leading into the main sitting room. It gave way at the slightest push.

His sudden appearance seemed to startle Vera Lansbury, who was dusting the mantelpiece.

"No, no, don't scream. I'm the caretaker here."

"We'll just see about that, won't we? Master Cassadine!"

Even if Ethan had it in his mind to run, he wouldn't have made it far. Stefan was upon them in seconds, having come from the foyer just outside.

"Yes, Vera, what is it? Strike that question, it does not appear to be accurate."

"He says Miss Alexis employed him as caretaker."

"I find it hard to believe that my sister—meticulous as she is—would have neglected to mention that there is both a front door, and a servants' entrance in the back. Nevertheless, the property has changed hands, as you no doubt see, so your services are no longer needed."

"The vines out there could use some work."

"I have the situation under control," Stefan assured as he studied the newcomer, while studying him with interest. "What a fascinating accent you have."

"I was raised in Australia."

"Ah, you're Ethan, are you not?"

"My reputation precedes me?"

"My nephew tells me many things. You are the child of Holly Sutton given up for adoption when Holly fell pregnant by Spencer, because Holly knew Luke would never leave the love of his life for a passing mistress. Luke Spencer, paragon of virtue, left sweet Lasha to struggle—caring for the toddler they shared, while always looking over her shoulder for Frank Smith's men, while he used his fake passport as the means for a London tryst."

"My conception is none of your business!"

"I am merely extending your stay, by imparting the results of the background check I had performed when Nikolas let your name slip. If you would care to leave, you may do so at any time. As a matter of fact, let me walk to the door."

"No. I came here to let you in on some of the things that actually are your business to know, and maybe you would have if you hadn't been so preoccupied with torturing your family by playing dead, or framing Luke for murder!"

"I have no interest in hearing your biased accounts on my family. You may see yourself out."

Ethan was silently fuming. The man needed to know what kind of hell Alexis had pulled _her_ family out of, while Stefan couldn't even be bothered to place an international phone call.

"Did you know Sam was drugged and then raped by a psycho, while her husband was made to watch?" he shouted at the retreating back.

Stefan spun around. There was an almost feral look in his eye that would have been better suited to Mikkos or Stavros. "You are lying, sir!"

"I'd have to be a sick man to come up with a lie like that! If only it weren't the truth, Sam and Jason would've been spared a lot of pain. You see, I hear a lot of things over at the Haunted Star, and just before the lovely Helena threatened my life, I happened to be privy to Jason telling Carly that he wasn't sure he would be able to love a baby that was a daily reminder of his wife's rapist."

"If Morgan found himself unable to love a child with Samantha's blood running through his veins, than he—as I always suspected of his employer—was not worthy of the love of a Cassadine. "

"And then, there's Molly," Ethan continued solemnly. "You won't be able to run away when she's in the middle of a flashback, or a night terror, and you're the only one around to tell her that the bus isn't crashing…that Sam is at home with her baby, rather than inside an exploding limo!"

"Why do you insist on remaining here, Mr. Lovett?" Stefan drawled. He wouldn't dare let the spawn of Luke Spencer know how rattled he truly was over this information.

"Because I've yet to tell you the pièce de résistance, or has Nikolas told you that Kristina was psychically and emotionally abused by her prick of a boyfriend…beaten to a pulp not once, but twice…"

"_Leave now!"_

"…and slapped around plenty of times before then. I should know, I broke it up a time or two. Does knowing all this make you proud of yourself?"

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"Perhaps you should be, you got the bettter end of the deal, after all. While you were sunning yourself, Alexis had to hold her crumbling family together alone! Does that make you feel like a man, Stefan!"

That was the last ounce of insolence Stefan would take from the likes of the Spencers. Ethan staggered with the force of a punch to his jaw….there was a tremendous crash as the staircase railing gave way.

Vera Lansbury screamed.


	7. Chapter 7

Molly knocked gently on the door the lake house's home office. "Kristina says dinner will be ready in ten minutes, Mom."

Alexis thanked every deity in existence that Kristina had chosen to attend Port Charles University, because at least she had one child who had inherited decent cooking skills—which naturally came from Sonny's side of the family.

"Be right there, honey. I just have to call Rosalyn back, and tell her I found the precedent we were looking for."

Molly nodded, leaving the hallway, just as her mother's phone rang. "This is Alexis Davis."

"Miss Alexis, this is Vera Lansbury, Master Cassadine's housekeeper."

"Yes, of course, what can I do for you?"

"There's been an altercation at Wyndemere, ma'am."

"An altercation?"

"Master Cassadine and the other man have both been taken to the mainland for medical treatment. General Hospital."

"All right, thank you Vera."

"Mom?" Kristina gazed at the troubled face, as Alexis entered the kitchen. "What's the matter?"

"Come on, girls, we've got to get to the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"Your uncle is there, Molly. And now you know about as much as Vera told me, so we can find out the rest together."

0o0o0o

"Will you _please_ hold still, Mr. Cassadine?"

"Ouch!" Stefan winced away from the disinfectant-coated rag.

Epiphany clicked her tongue. "Well, I don't know what you expected after wrestling with a man on a staircase. You're both lucky you didn't kill yourselves, if you ask me."

Stefan sighed impatiently. "I did not, and if it's all the same to you, Nurse Johnson, I prefer to take my bandages sans lecture."

There was an audible scoff from the doorway. "Believe me, if you had me as your nurse instead of Epiphany you would get a much worse lecture, considering that's my nephew you used as a cushion!"

"Hello, Barbara. Do either of you care to realize that Lovett is in this situation after trespassing on my property," Stefan wanted to know.

"The only thing it's my business to know is when this patient is going to be taken off my hands," Epiphany muttered grumpily.

Bobbie's smile for Epiphany was commiserating. "Your release papers are in the works, Stefan. You can be discharged as soon as we pass you off to a family member. Excuse me."

Stefan watched his ex-wife leave, before turning on Epiphany. "I can't leave this building on my own accord? That's asinine!"

"No, that's hospital policy," Epiphany remarked. "You've been through something that is known to cause head trauma, and we need someone to inform us if you start experiencing concussion-like symptoms. If you'd rather, you can always stay overnight…"

"I wouldn't recommend that course of action. After all, Ethan took the lion's share of the damage, as if Luke would look for a legitimate reason to smother you in your sleep."

"That's a charming thought, Alexis."

"You're lucky Luke detests lawyers more than he detests doctors, because any good attorney he hired for his son would have pointed out that Ethan's expectations of getting into the house were reasonable since I never formally terminated his employment."

"In that case, I suppose I should be grateful that Spencer has always had a taste for vigilante justice. Now may we move on from this distasteful subject to something more pleasant?"

"The girls are here."

"Samantha as well, or is she still angry with me for my error?"

"I don't know the answer to that, but in any event, Sam is with her son tonight."

"Just as well. The hospital is no place for a small child."

"Nor is it any place for an impossible man, so why don't we get you out of here, Stefan?"

"Please do, councilor."

Stefan ignored the surly nurse, and glanced though the slots in the blinds. "Pardon me, Alexis, but didn't you say my _nieces_ were here, or was that niece in the singular, because Kristina appears to be absent without leave."

0o0o0o

Kristina stopped leaning on the stairwell railing, and hastened her pace to a jog as she caught sight of the first white coat in five minutes. "Patrick, hey, I need to talk to you."

"Hey, Kristina. If you're looking for your uncle, he's on the next floor getting treated."

"Oh, I know. I'm actually looking for Lulu's OBGYN. She had an appointment today."

"So I've heard. Listen, I want you to know how sorry I am."

Kristina leaned her elbow against the nurse's station counter. "About what?"

"Mac and I tried to convince Maxie to try again, but she didn't want to go through another miscarriage."

"I understand. You wouldn't happen to know how the consultation went?"

Patrick shook his head. "Sorry, but I've been in surgery all day, and unfortunately Dr. Lee just left for the night."

"Maybe I could help you,"

"Oh my God, Ethan!" Kristina ran through the open door of the nearby room. "What happened to you?"

"Sprained wrist and Patrick also thinks I may have a concussion, but I feel fine."

"Yeah, right."

"It's looks worse than it is, I promise."

"You're the one who fought with Stefan?"

"You didn't come here to see me."

He patted the end of the bed with his good hand, but Kristina remained standing crossing her arms across her chest. "You're avoiding my question."

Ethan whistled and saluted her. "A man can't bluff you, can he? Make me a happy man, and tell me you play poker. Oh, come on, Krissy, crack a smile."

"If you tell me I'm having a nephew or niece, then I'll be all smiles."

"About that…Dr. Lee thinks that Lulu's embryo wasn't as viable as they originally thought, and that Maxie's fall just hastened the miscarriage."

"That's awful!"

"They'll just have to have to implant more next time, and Lulu and Dante will have a better chance. Trouble is, surrogacy is a tough sell. There aren't many girls who are willing to nurture a baby for nine months just to give the baby up to another couple."

"Yeah, I know."

"Listen, Krissy, from what I've heard, Stefan is going to be released tonight, so you should go home and be with your family."

"This baby is my family too."

"And I'm telling you that everything is going to turn out fine. Go on, love." Even though he was essentially kicking her out of his room, there was something so sexy about the way he was doing it.

"Maybe I'll come back and see you sometime?"

"I'd like that."

"All right, feel better." She bent down and gave him a peck on the lips, and then ran out of the room before he could respond. Pausing by the elevator bay, so that she was just out of Ethan's earshot, Kristina whipped out her phone.

"Diane," she texted, her fingers flying across the keypad. "Have to talk, but don't tell Mom. Free tomorrow afternoon-Kristina."

There. It was done. There was no going back now.


	8. Chapter 8

"Detective Falconeri, please?"

The uniform looked up. "Detective Falconeri is busy at the moment, may I help you?"

"It's okay, Simmons, my suspect's been booked." Dante embraced the woman. "Besides, she's my sister. What do you need, Krissy?"

"My car broke down on the back road, and I was wondering if you could tow it back to the house, while I took a cab, to—" Kristina eyed the desk clerk, and mouthed the final word, _"Pentonville?"_

Dante caught the hint. He took Kristina by the elbow, and led her into the empty interrogation room he had just been using. "If you're late for your community service shift, the judge is going to tack on more hours. How about I just drive you, and I'll jump the car later?"

"That'd be great."

Now all she had to do was figure out a way to broach the subject without Dante catching on to her. It would be hard. Dante's occupation, and his feelings toward their father made him a naturally suspicious human being. If Dante realized her plan at this stage he would go running to Alexis, and her plan would be over before it even started.

As it was, Dante brought up the subject without any prompting. "So, I'm really glad we've gotten this chance to talk."

"Yeah?"

"It looks like you'll be waiting a bit longer for the niece or nephew you wanted. We can't exactly do another round of implantation without someone to implant."

"Any prospects?"

"Can't say that there are," Dante sighed.

"How do Lulu, Olivia, and Dad think about all this?"

"The girls are really upset. Mom wants nothing more than to have a grandbaby, and Dad is willing to shell out as much money as possible to get us a surrogate. And it's going to be a lot, I've done the research."

"For all Dad's faults, and I'll be the first one to tell you he has several of them, he would do anything for you and Lulu."

Dante blushed. He wasn't one for public emotion, but he would always make exceptions for his sister and his wife. "And for you, Kristina, but I know you know that."

"Yeah whatever, Dante."

"That's what you say now. Anyway, we're here. Have a good shift, and I'll pick you up when mine's over."

"No, you don't…you don't have to, Dante. I have money. I can always take a cab from here back to the house."

Her brother studied her carefully. "Okay then, I guess I'll see you later?"

"_You'll be seeing me a lot more often if this works out," _thought Kristina as she watched him drive away.

0o0o0o

"Oomph," Kristina grunted, having just collided with someone.

"Miss Corinthos-Davis."

"Oh my God, Warden! I'm sorry!"

The man bent to pick up the broom, dustpan, and pair of gloves that had fallen. "May I ask why you're juggling cleaning supplies?"

"Someone broke a window in the courtyard, and a guard asked me to take care of it."

"Well, scratch that, you and I need to have a talk. Come into my office for a moment."

"Is there a problem?"

"According to your father, yes. He seems to take issue with you performing your community service in close proximity to John Zacchara."

"Of course he does." Kristina rolled her eyes.

"He has requested that you be moved elsewhere."

"I wouldn't expect anything else from him."

"Wherever you choose to go, your completed hours will be credited to you, so don't worry about that. Do you need any suggestions from me, or is there someone else you would like to consult?"

"I think I have someone in mind."

"If you'd like to go talk to them now, there's not much for you to do here."

0o0o0o

Diane Miller didn't have a mirror perched on top of her desk because she was vain; even though that was something she had no shame in admitting if only because there were several people who could attest to the fact. Rather, the mirror was a habit she had picked up after years of representing people whom she could freely admit outside of court exemplified the darker side of human nature. It was for this reason that she saw the approaching young woman.

"Hi, sugar. I got your message, but I wasn't expecting you until this afternoon."

Kristina hovered uncertainly just inside the doorway. "I can come back later if you want."

"There's no need," Diane cleared some files off the guest chair, and gestured to it. "Now that you're here, I'm curious to know what is so secretive, that you felt the need to contact me without your mother's knowledge."

"I'll tell you, but first I want to establish attorney privilege."

"Duly noted. Go on."

"Dad doesn't want me doing community service hours at Pentonville anymore, so I need you to get me a position at the hospital."

"Forgive me, but which part of this can't your mother handle for you?"

"The part where I'm using my hours as a cover for my surrogacy appointments."

Diane's carefully plucked eyebrows shot clear up to her hairline as her practiced facade fell, but she quickly composed herself. "I feel a migraine of epic proportions coming on. All right, I'm going to go out on a limb here, and assume that you have yet to consider the many legal and psychological consequences that follow a decision that gigantic."

"I know there's a contract involved. Mom drew up the papers for Maxie to sign."

"Yes," Diane nodded. "A contract that legally compelled Maxie, as the then-surrogate to give the child to Lulu and Dante upon the birth, no matter how much Maxie had bonded with him or her. A contract that left it up to the discretion of Lulu and Dante, and in due time their child, how much contact Maxie had with him or her after the birth. In vitro fertilization is a very draining process. Have you researched everything this will entail?"

"Well, obviously I'm going to research everything before I go through with it, but I have to get Dante and Lulu to agree first."

"I see. And then of course, there are the monetary concerns. It is quite the expensive undertaking."

"I have the money. Technically, I'm millionaire."

Diane snorted. "If you're telling me that Sonny is now dabbling in extortion, that's not my problem anymore."

"No, at least I don't think so. Nikolas sort of wheedled my mom into letting him set a trust fund up for me when I was born. He did the same for Molly."

"Nevertheless, New York State Law says that your cousin controls the entire sum until you reach the age of twenty-one, which I may point out will happen after this hypothetical baby is born."

"I'll figure it out somehow. I need to do this, I need to do something good."

"You need someone else to love now that Trey isn't in your life. I get it, honey, I do."

"And?" Kristina prompted impatiently. "What are you going to do?"

Diane considered. "I'm seriously considering having my head examined for this, but I am going to draw up the papers."

"Thank you, Diane."

"I doubt your mother will share that sentiment."

0o0o0o

As it turned out, Alexis was taking advantage of her rare afternoon off, and remained—for the moment—blissfully unaware of her daughter's secretive activities. Cupping a mug of tea in her hand, she ran to answer the currently ringing phone.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Hello?"

"Alexis, Stefan speaking."

"I gathered that," she remarking, a smile in her voice, "Your hair may be graying, but your voice is the same. How are you convalescing?"

"Don't be sarcastic, darling, it's unbecoming."

"Sarcastic? You wound me, Stefan. Was there something you wanted?"

"Yes, in fact. If at all possible I would like you and the girls to come to Wyndemere at your earliest convenience, tonight for dinner, perhaps? I have some immensely important I would like to discuss with all of you."


	9. Chapter 9

**Noticed I've had a lot of silent readers later, and while I appreciate any and all support, remember to leave reviews. **

**MMM **

**PS. You may want to reread chapter five. After seeing the clip where Alexis was banished, I slightly altered Molly's reaction.**

_This is a shocking development_, thought Alexis as she dazedly went upstairs to place her dying cell phone in its charger. If memory served her, Stefan was going through all the formalities of arranging a Cassadine family meeting. It would be the first in long while; there had been none when Nikolas was head of the family. Her nephew had detested the idea of such gatherings because he thought they were archaic, a delusion of grandeur misplaced when one considered the now-crumbling Cassadine dynasty.

Alexis had no idea what Stefan wanted to discuss with them, no clue what he had up his sleeve. With a jolt of trepidation, she considered the possibility that the meeting had been called to go over Helena's latest transgressions, but Stefan had summoned the girls as well, and there wasn't a way in the world Alexis would allow her daughters and baby grandson to be exposed to the inner workings of that woman's twisted mind. Still she wanted her family to experience the Stefan she knew of old, with the tenderness he showed to those he loved behind closed doors…

**Flashback **

"_Hello?" Alexis spoke into the phone_

"_Alexis. Am I getting you at a bad time?"_

"_Stefan? No."_

"_Good. Is Kristina there with you?"_

"_Yeah, she's right here."_

"_Listen, I wonder if uh…if you and Kristina could come to Wyndemere to see me. It's important."_

"_Are...are you all right? What's going on?"_

"_I'll explain when you get here."_

_0o0o0o_

_She had thought her brother had called them all to the island to inform them that Helena had found a way to escape her blessed incarceration, but now Alexis stood at attention in Stefan's beloved library as she, Kristina, Nikolas, and Gia Campbell listened to him read from the journal he had kept as a boy, which the now deceased Chloe had found among his more recent belongings. "'This island, the Cassadine traditions…all of the ancient rules and codes. When I'm grown, I'll break away from them, and make a life that's my own.' Now, I made this promise to myself years ago. I haven't kept it until now."_

_Someone about that statement startled Alexis. "What happens now?" she inquired._

"_Well, this afternoon I fly to Milan where I've rented a villa for an extended stay."_

_Nikolas nodded. "So what about after Milan?"_

"_I don't know. For once in my life, I'm playing it by ear." Stefan smiled at the smirk on his nephew's face, but it was replaced by a tender look as Nikolas asked, _

"_How long will you be gone?"_

"_As long as it takes for me to discover who I am beyond all this. I've left the estate in your capable hands, and I'm sure—"_

"_No, you can't!" Gia blurted out._

"_Gia I'm flattered you want me to stay."_

"_She isn't the only one," Kristina spoke up. "Stefan, I just found you! And now I'm going to lose you again?"_

"_No, not at all. You're my family, you can visit anytime."_

"_Stefan isn't one to sever family ties," Alexis assured her sister gently. _

"_Maybe that's finally working in my favor," Stefan added causing his youngest sister to smile slightly. _

_Alexis sighed. "I'm going to miss you, big brother, but I think this is good. I think it's good that you're getting away." _

"_But does it have to me now?" Gia inquired desperately. _

_Stefan eyed her with concern. "Gia, is there a problem?"_

"_Look—"_

"_She wants her for the wedding, Uncle," Nikolas remarked by way of an explanation, one that Alexis would have deemed rather condescending if it were her place to do so. "As do I."_

"_I'll be there," Stefan promised. _

"_But…"_

_Nikolas placed a hand on his fiancée's arm, before she could say anything else. "Now is not the time, Gia. Stefan called us here to say goodbye."_

"_Gia, Wyndemere belongs to you now. I don't want you to concern yourself about me. Now if you two will excuse us, I would like to speak to my sisters in private."_

**End Flashback**

The memory of the last family meeting flooding her senses, Alexis walked over to her dresser and ran the pads of her thumbs over the carvings of orchids and violets that covered her jewelry box. Gently, she lifted the lid and examined the contents. Buried beneath the earrings and necklaces Alexis wore on a daily basis, and the ones she reserved for the odd formal function were five pieces so rarely disturbed of late, she was surprised they hadn't developed cobwebs. These were the reminders of her former life: a two-piece necklace and sapphire ring that had both belonged to her mother, two heirlooms that had belonged to other Cassadine aristocrats (one was a necklace that Stefan had given to her before his departure, the other he'd given to Kristina, though Alexis had inherited her sister's personal effects when the warehouse exploded), and at the very bottom was her Cassadine medallion. It was the latter that she pulled out of the box's depths, and cupped in her palm gently removing the dust. The medallion felt weighty and strange and bounced anew against her neck.

Stefan had once asked her if she was ready to be a Cassadine again, but he had "died" before she could give him a proper response. Maybe he wanted one now.

She used the landline to call Sam.

0o0o0o

Stefan, on the other hand, was settling very easily into his old role as master of the house.

"Have your men groom and saddle some horses, in case any of my guests feel the need for an evening ride, especially…yes, that's the one. Thank you. Ah, Vera," Stefan acknowledged his entering housekeeper as he ended the call to the stable master.

"A package for you, Master Cassadine. Shall I set a place at the table for Miss Alexis?"

Stefan nodded. "As will her daughters, and I suspect Samantha will bring her son along." He moved across the room to disencumber her of the parcel. "Excellent, the last gift has arrived, last that is, if Gregory has completed the errand I asked of him. "

The valet appeared as if compelled to do so by the sound of his name. "Miss Alexis, her daughters, and grandson to see you, sir."

"Is there something troubling you, Gregory? Did you not acquire what it is I need?"

The valet withdrew an official envelope from his waistcoat pocket. "Ms. Quartermaine was rather difficult, sir. She wanted a larger sum."

Stefan scoffed. "Tracy Quartermaine's asking price was already criminal, but no matter. Show my guests in with my apologies. I will be with them shortly."

0o0o0o

"That was lovely, Stefan," Alexis smiled, crossing her silverware on top of her plate. "Vera may be not be Greek, but she sure knows her way around Greek food. I sincerely hope she shares her aunt's penchant for making the best scones the world has ever seen."

"They were good, weren't they?" Stefan agreed. "And was the meal agreeable to the rest of you?"

"Especially the baklava," Molly enthused, while Kristina nodded.

Alexis laughed. "I never thought I would find someone with a bigger hankering for baklava than your uncle, now I've found two."

"Three," corrected Sam from two seats over.

"But I doubt, Stefan, that you sent for us just for the pleasure of sharing our national cuisine with my daughters, so what pray tell are we doing here?"

"Patience, Alexis, I will tell you in due time."

"I don't mean to be rude, but when is 'due time' exactly?" Sam wanted to know. "I have to get Danny home eventually."

"I assure you if what I have to say takes enough time to offend Daniel's anti-nocturnal sensibilities, you are free to either go home, or if you like, you may put him down in one of our guest rooms. In the meantime, shall we move this into the conservatory?"

"All right," Alexis consented. "Come on, girls."

Molly grinned at the starlit sky that could be seen out of the conservatory's high windows. "The house doesn't seem as creepy now."

"Creepy." Stefan raised his eyebrows. "Why do I get the feeling that description was originally yours, Alexis?" He had a feeling that Alexis was using the mansion's checkered history as an avenue to keep Kristina away from Lovett, who was in Stefan opinion, unhealthily attached to the younger girl. It was a stroke of genius for which he had to applaud his sister, though he dare not say so aloud.

"Can you really blame me, Stefan?" she replied before turning to Molly. "I suspect your uncle's staff cleaned out the cobwebs."

"Any of the three of you is petite enough to check," Stefan offered his nieces playfully.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "It seemed staying with Nikolas has honed your teasing skills."

"A requirement with him."

"And with this crowd," Alexis assured him. "But better you than me."

"Or me," Sam added, setting a squirming Danny down next to her. The little boy used the back of the chaise to scoot himself along, but Stefan reacted deftly before Danny could fall over the arm, and placed the child in his own lap.

"Are you going to let Mama and _Yaya_ would send me off like a lamb to slaughter?" he smiled.

"Don't feel too bad for your uncle, Danny," Sam cautioned. "He's Greek, so lamb is fitting. Hey, what are you looking at, buddy?"

Stefan followed his great-nephew's gaze to the package that had arrived earlier, and now sat encased in wrapping paper by Vera's apparently practiced hand, "Ah, yes. Daniel has redirected me to the purpose of tonight's meeting. As you know, I have recently had a rather unpleasant encounter with Lovett."

"You mean the one where you tossed him over the staircase like yesterday's garbage?"

"Kristina!" Alexis hissed warningly.

Stefan nodded his appreciation to his sister, but honestly what girl partially raised by Sonny Corinthos, would respect the Cassadine tradition of respecting and deferring to the family elders. Corinthos, after all, had respect for nothing except his shiny gun. "Rest assured, I don't usually let the likes of the Spencers get to me in that way, but the information Lovett had come to impart was most unsettling. It has shown me my own grievous error, one of many where my family is concerned."

"Which information?" Sam inquired tentatively.

Stefan gazed at her sadly. "I know everything. It's unfortunate that I have been denied the happy occasion of showing the —" Suddenly remembering the child in his lap, Stefan quickly censored his course. "—ahem, _scoundrels_ who hurt my nieces my particular displeasure. If I had been in Port Charles in the first place, a tremendous amount of pain could have been prevented. With that in mind, I would like to offer each of you tokens of my regret."

"Stefan, that really isn't necessary."

"Alexis, please. You may think of them as collateral for the time lost between us, if the idea is more suitable to you. Here, take this."

"What is it?" Molly wanted to know.

"Whatever it is, it looks very legal," Alexis replied.

Sam slit the envelope with her thumbnail. "Oh my God," she gasped. "This is the deed to my office building, isn't it?"

Stefan nodded. "Forgive me for taking the liberty, but I've bought it in your name. You own the property outright, to do with as you like. You are an independent by nature, Samantha. You should never have to answer to anyone."

"Thank you, Uncle Stefan, thanks so much," Sam whispered into the man's shoulder as they embraced. Pulling away she fixed her uncle with one of her signature smirks. "And just so you know, I never do."

Stefan grinned. "Your mother's fire suits you well, darling. And here is something for a young woman who shares her mother's early and intense love of knowledge. For you, Molly."

Molly rushed forward and grabbed the parcel much to the protest of Danny,

The teenage aunt laughed. "Okay, okay, you can help me. Let me start it first." She sat cross-legged in front of her uncle's armchair and held the package at Danny's eye level.

The child demolished the wrappings happily, much to the amusement of his family, but for her part, Molly was enthralled by what was inside.

"_The Odyssey," _she gasped. "Uncle Stefan, it's beautiful!"

"And all yours. Perfect I think, since Nikolas tells me you borrowed _The Iliad _from your local library at the tender age of eleven."

"I couldn't find it in yours," Molly explained.

"I do have them, but my copies of both epics are in their original Greek. Perhaps I will give you lessons one day."

"Cool!"

"Kristina." Stefan turned to his last niece. "I'm afraid your gift won't fit in this room, but I'm sure he will be more his ease in the stables. "

Kristina's eyes lit up. "You didn't?"

"Oh, but I have. I rather enjoy riding myself, so I've brought along with me. Yours in particular is an Arabian, beautiful creature. Nikolas had his mother imported from the Middle East for breeding. He has no name, but I've been told to suggest one on Alexei's behalf."

"Yeah, what is it?" Kristina asked.

"Aladdin," Stefan replied, as though he didn't give much credence to a name spawned by a Disney cartoon.

Alexis snorted. "Let me guess, you would have gone with Hercules?"

"And what, dear sister, is wrong with the name Hercules?"

"While you guys decide his name, mind if I go see my new horse."

"Be my guest, darling, ride him if you like."

0o0o0o

Kristina let out a breath of relief. As far as she could tell she was alone on the grounds, and could therefore finally attend to her blinking cell phone.

"You have one new voice mail," the robotic voice prompted as Kristina entered her pass code. "Kristina, this is Diane Miller calling. As far Lulu and Dante are concerned, there is an anonymous party willing to carry their child. The three of us will meet you at GH tomorrow afternoon with the paperwork. Call me by then if you change your mind."

0o0o0o

"I know you want to see the horsies, buddy," Sam whispered, placing a gentle finger to her son's lips, to keep him from squealing at the sight of the animals, "but Mommy wants to know why Aunt Krissy is on the phone again."


	10. Chapter 10

Spinelli looked up at the sounds of his partner's heels, as Sam entered the offices of McCall and Jackal P.I. "Greetings, Fair Samantha. How was supper on Spoon Island?"

"Very interesting, actually. This building has officially changed hands."

"Come again? The land belongs to the Quartermaine family. If you recall, Tracy is taking the utmost pleasure in holding this unfortunate fact over my head, seeing as the upper apartment functions as my living quarters."

"I know, but you don't need to worry about losing your home anymore. My uncle bought the deed from Tracy in my name."

"His Headship is most generous and benevolent. So I suppose you're my…my landlady now."

"That's a scary thought. How about we agree to exchange rent for babysitting duties."

"Spending the occasional day with The Wee One would be a great honor."

"Deal." Sam reached across the desk to shake Spinelli's hand. "All that really matters is that we are out from under Tracy Quartermaine's thumb."

"A joyous day indeed."

"Any new clients?"

"Negative, only more inquiries into the past of The Allegedly Bloodthirsty One. The police would like to know if there should be credence given to the accusations made by Lucy Coe."

Sam sighed. Personally, she wouldn't even listen to the allegations of a woman who staked a police officer under the influence of those same delusions, but Anna Devane was the only one paying for their services at the moment, and money was money.

"You can handle that for today, can't you?"

"I am certainly up to the task of completing some routine background checks," Spinelli assured her. "Do you have something more pressing in nature to do? Is it the Wee One?"

"More personal than pressing, at least I hope so. Don't worry this has nothing to do with Danny. He's perfect."

"Good. Well, in that case, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor, whatever it is. I'm off to a follow-up meeting at Kelly's, and then to the PCPD to brief Her Commissionership. Farewell."

"Bye, Spinelli."

Once alone in the office, Sam made quick work of unearthing the large phonebook, and leaved through its pages until she found the number for the local cell service provider. She dialed, and waited a frustratingly long amount of time for someone on the other end of the line to pick up. When a man finally answered, she tried to keep the exasperation out of her voice.

"Yes, maybe you can help me. My name is Samantha Morgan, I'm a private investigator licensed in Port Charles, New York… I was wondering if you could point me to the recent cell phone records of a woman by the name of Kristina Corinthos-Davis, and by recent I mean as of yesterday, if that's at all possible…Well, I'm working in conjunction with the Port Charles branch of Mason, Petrovitch, and Miller law firm, and I assure you I wouldn't be asking for the information if it weren't pertinent to our investigation…I'm sorry, sir, it's an ongoing investigation, I'm not at liberty to discuss the details…yes I understand you need a subpoena to release that information. Thank you for your time. Thank you for nothing!" she growled to the dial tone.

If Sam were honest with herself, she knew that any serviceman who gave up information to some random Joe who asked for it—even a Joe with Sam's credentials—would have to be a Grade A idiot. There were other ways to get what she wanted, but they were a lot riskier…and would apparently have to wait until she answered the five missed calls from Danny's nanny.

0o0o0o

"Oh, I know, baby, I know." Sam crooned as she bounced her disgruntled son on her hip to very little effect "Mommy's going to make it all better, I promise." She banged on the lake house door once again. "Come on, I know it's the middle of the day, but somebody open up."

"Sam? What in the world?"

"Mom! Thank God you're working from home. I was about to pick the lock."

"Why on earth would you do that? You have a key."

"That I realized I left at the penthouse about three seconds after the nanny dropped my screaming baby off at McCall and Jackal."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"Let me see." Alexis opened her arms to accept her grandson. "You are not happy are you, sweet boy? No wonder, he's burning up. I think—" Alexis stroked Danny's cheek, until he opened his mouth with an accompanying wail. "—Thank you so much. Uh-huh, new teeth coming in on the bottom."

"Poor thing." Sam leaned in, and kissed her son's forehead.

"I've got a spare teething ring chilling in the freezer. Here, go see Mommy, love."

"Ooh, Grandma's always prepared, isn't she?"

"Watch the G-word!" Alexis called over her shoulder.

"Sorry." Sam laughed. "Wouldn't want to upset the woman with your teething ring, would we, Danny?"

Alexis handed the item to her grandson, shrugging. "Just don't say it in front of my bachelor brother. Stefan would never let me hear the end of it."

"Until last night, I didn't think amusement was an emotion Stefan was capable of."

"Until last night you barely knew him," Alexis countered. "And besides, Stefan's a complicated man."

Sam conceded the point. "So, empty house? I didn't think Kristina headed to the J-A-I-L until later."

"Interesting you should ask that."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, because I received a call from the firm's answering service inquiring about a follow-up call from Rochester Telephone Company, something about a PI looking into Kristina's cell records."

"Yeah, about that…can I just…you know?"

"No, you cannot check her phone, Samantha! That's a complete invasion of your sister's privacy. And it wouldn't do you any good to look here. Kristina's phone is probably in a locker room at GH."

"The hospital?"

"Where your sister will completing her community service hours. It appears Sonny had a hissy fit."

"And Krissy came off worse for it."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, Mom," Sam snorted. "Epiphany could make the warden cry."

"Ah, ah, ah!" Danny cried, happy now that he was bouncing a foam block against his grandmother's knee.

"I know," Alexis smiled. "You're waiting for Mommy to tell us a story, aren't you? How about a fairytale about why she was snooping into Auntie Krissy's phone records, doesn't that sound like fun?"

"I did it because she's been seeing a lot of Ethan lately, and I know you've noticed too, because you've been having Shawn keep an eye on the two of them."

"Have I been that obvious?"

"Yeah, you kind of have."

"So what's you theory on the subject?"

"I think Ethan is trying to play knight in shining armor to Krissy in her grief. When I first went to Kelly's to spirit Ethan away, I heard them talking."

"About what?"

"About going to Florence like Kristina had planned before the whole _Mob Princess_ debacle, presumably together. Maybe they've decided to go through with it."

"Absolutely not!"

"I know."

"She's only twenty!"

"I know that, Mom."

"We have to figure out a way to stop this."

"Like you said, Mom, Kristina's twenty, an adult. I don't think that we necessarily can stop it."

"At the risk of sounding as self-important as Stefan, acquiescence is not the Cassadine way."

"Are you a Cassadine again?"

"That's question is more loaded than you realize, honey. Frankly, I don't know if I have an answer. For you, or for myself."

0o0o0o

"Kristina," Epiphany called, as she walked down the hallway. "May I see you for a moment, please?"

The head nurse radiated something intimidating, even toward people who knew without a shadow of a doubt that they were on her good side. Kristina was not one of this happy number and so she chose to use the self-preservation skills she had learned from watching Melinda Bauer, and do whatever the woman said.

"Yeah… sure. Are you going to give me my assignments?"

"I will, but first I want to make something abundantly clear."

"Okay."

"I don't give a flying you-know-what that your family is royal, or that your uncle is back running the show financially, as far as you're concerned I am Queen. Stefan may be my boss, but _I_ am yours, and I won't have you running to Uncle Stefan with complaints about big, bad Epiphany. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now, assignments: empty and wash bedpans for all the patients on this floor. By then, it should be noon, so you can take the orders of all the bedridden patients, and bring them their food. Last, because I'm feeling generous today, you can entertain on the pediatrics ward. Get it?"

"Er, Epiphany, what about my lunch break?"

"Take twenty minutes after your done playing waitress."

"Got it."

"Good."

"And you will be expected to log your hours accurately. I know exactly how long you're supposed to be working here, so don't even try to cheat the system."

0o0o0o

"Hi, Jamie. Ooh, I love the stickers on your cast. Can I borrow Kristina for a minute, and she'll finish reading to you later."

"Sure."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you, Elizabeth," Kristina whispered as she closed the door to the little boy's room. "For saving me from the fourth _Davy the Dinosaur_ adventure of the afternoon."

"That has become a favorite," the nurse laughed. "Anyway, Diane Miller is looking for you."

Kristina's heart began to beat with adrenaline. "What does Diane want?" she asked, feigning ignorance. "Is it…is it Mom?"

"I'm sure if it were, it would Stefan who would tell you, not Diane."

"Oh, good point."

"I sent her to an empty conference room on the tenth floor. And you can go after you talk to her," Elizabeth added in a whisper, "I'll cover for you with Epiphany."

"Thank you."

0o0o0o

Diane sighed, as she readied herself to prepare Lulu and Dante for what she was sure was only a ludicrous plan spun by Kristina for the affections of Ethan Lovett. With one final steadying breath, she turned the doorknob. "Thank you for meeting me. Oh Luke, I didn't know you would be joining us."

"I wanted to meet the broad who would be carrying my grandchild," Luke explained nonchalantly, while his daughter rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Dad."

Diane responded likewise. "And in all technicality, you've met her before. All three of you have."

"Hi, guys." Kristina whispered.

Luke waved cheerfully, but both Dante and Lulu gazed around the room as waiting for another woman to appear, perhaps after jumping out of a giant birthday cake. Finally, the reality of the situation seemed to dawn on Lulu.

"No."

"Why not?" Kristina demanded. "You want a baby, and I can give you one."

"Works for me," Luke remarked.

"Look Lulu, I didn't have the chance to spend time with my brother like you did, growing up with Lucky and Nik. I didn't even know Dante _was_ my brother until I was teenager. I figured this could be our chance to…you know, bond."

Lulu shook her head decidedly. "You're too young, Kristina."

"Now wait a minute, Gumdrop," Luke interrupted, "if your mother had taken that attitude when Nicky Boy came to Port Charles, then you wouldn't be here today. And he was fifteen."

"That was different."

"It was a bone marrow transplant, and was a lot more dangerous than a pregnancy."

"But I needed the marrow, if I find someone to give me a baby that's fine, but—"

"What you need is a little tyke who you could give all the love you have in your heart, one who you can provide with the life that I couldn't always give you. And Kris here wants to bond with her big brother, so why don't you do what you both want, and sign the paper, darling."

"Pass me the pen," Lulu conceded. Dante pulled a ballpoint out of his pocket, scrawling his own name in the appropriate spaces, before handing it over.

Diane smiled as she gathered the completely documents. "Congratulations, you three. This is the beginning of a beautiful journey for you."


End file.
